The Twilight 25: All About Emmett
by UofMAnne
Summary: My entries for The Twilight 25, Round Four. Main character is Emmett. Rated M just to be safe, but realistically, K-T.
1. Chapter 1

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com**

**Prompt:** 07

**Pen name: **UofMAnne

**Pairing: **Emmett

**Rating: **K

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html**

_0-0-0_

As he walked up to the house, Emmett couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. A last minute work crisis meant that his long-awaited camping trip would have to be postponed. Getting Rosalie to agree to go in the first place had been a battle...he doubted they'd make it out before the season ended, now.

Stepping into the quiet house, he immediately sought her out. Not finding her anywhere on the first floor, he was about to head upstairs when something from the backyard caught his eye.

"Surprise!" she said, as she stepped out of the makeshift tent

_0-0-0_

**A/N: **Athena pre-read, and held my hand through figuring out how to get it loaded. Ashley bullied me into writing it.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com**

**Prompt: **20: Stolen

**Pen name: **UofMAnne

**Pairing: **Emmett

**Rating: **K

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html**

_0-0-0_

With a grim look on his face, Emmett took his son by the hand and led him back into the grocery store.

"Dad, do I have to?"

"You do. No more dragging your feet, buddy. Get to it."

The look Andrew shot him as he marched the final few steps up to the counter nearly broke Emmett's heart, but he held firm.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Can I help you, young man?"

Reaching up on his tiptoes, he produced a sticky handful of candies.

"I need to pay for these. I forgot to before. I'm really sorry. I'll never steal again."

_0-0-0_

**A/N:** Athena pre-reads, and makes everything better.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com**

**Prompt:****10-Feign**

**Pen name: **UofMAnne

**Pairing: **Emmett

**Rating: **K

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html**

0-0-0

For a week, 9 year old Emmett had watched his little sister Alice stare pitifully out the window while he ran out to the bus stop to go to school. Alice wouldn't turn 5 until November, too late to start school this year, but old enough to miss her big brother while he was gone. Today though, she wouldn't have to be lonely; Emmett was sick.

Mom didn't need to know that his runny nose and watery eyes were really because he had gone to bed with flowers under his pillow. A little skip day never hurt anyone, after all.

0-0-0


	4. Chapter 4

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:**1

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:**T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

0-0-0

Awakened with a start by the pounding on his door, Jasper blearily crossed the living room. After peering through the peep-hole, he opened the door with a sigh. There, leaning heavily on the door frame, was Emmett. One hand was poised to knock again, while the other was dangling at his side, loosely holding a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Emmett, man, what's going on? Get in here, it's freezing out. What the hell happened?" Jasper said, as he ushered his friend into the darkened living room.

Collapsing onto the couch in a heap, Emmett looked up.

"She's gone."

0-0-0

**A/N: **IdPattThat pre-read for me. Formatting changes were the result of my two favorite betas, Athena and Margot.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt: **15-Return

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Looming over the desks, Emmett shook his head in wonder that he himself had ever been small enough to sit in them.

"Ah, Mr. McCarty. Welcome back to my classroom. Even if I hadn't already known you were Victoria's father, I could have guessed. Pranks and charm must be hard coded into the McCarty DNA."

With a gulp, Emmett turned to face his childhood nemesis. Mrs. Norris, 2nd grade teacher. Dream killer. He had never really forgiven her for telling him he would never be a superhero.

"Mrs. Norris. It's nice to see you again. Now, what has Victoria done?"

**A/N: **Athena pre-reads/betas/hand-holds better than anyone else. I love her like a fat kid loves cake.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 19

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing: **Emmett

**Rating: **T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Emmett knew as he handed his credit card over that he was being ridiculous. Some girls might secretly wish their boyfriends would channel an inner Lloyd Dobbler and stand outside their window with a boombox held over their heads. Not his girl, though.

In his heart of hearts, Emmett knew that he was buying a plane ticket just to stand at her gate and watch her plane take off-not to try to catch her and beg her to change her mind. It was time to move on, she'd said. He hoped that watching her fly away would convince his heart.

**A/N: **Athena is the peanut butter to my jelly. She makes sure what I write makes sense. IdPattThat gets me into WCs and makes me write. I love them both.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 21 Surface

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Slowly turning his head left to right, Emmett scanned the area in front of him. In the distance, he could see Alice doing the same.

Turning around slowly, with his eyes constantly scanning, Emmett thought he saw a glint.

Ha! Gotcha!

As he reached out, the glint he thought he saw suddenly moved.

Lungs burning, Emmett had to admit momentary defeat. With a powerful kick, he angled his body upwards. As he broke the surface and took in a huge gulp of air, he could hear Bella squeal in excitement. Shaking his head, he dove back down without a word.

**A/N: **Being friends with Athena means that if there are typos in here, it's my fault.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 12 Push

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating: **T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

From the kitchen window, Carlisle looked out at his children playing in the backyard. Alice seemed to be having a very serious conversation with Esme's roses, while Emmett conquered the playset "rock wall".

At 4, Edward was having a hard time getting himself going on the swings. Sensing that his youngest son was edging towards an epic tantrum, Carlisle moved towards the door, ready to lend a hand. Before he got there, Carlisle saw Emmett drop down from the wall.

"Hey Edward, need a push?"

Carlisle's heart swelled with pride as Edward beamed up at his big brother. "Yes please!"

**A/N: **Athena is my beta, my pre-reader, my soulmate. At this point, I would be remiss if I didn't thank everyone who has reviewed or alerted or tweeted. I've already fallen behind on review replies, which is shameful, but please know that every single alert makes me squeal and clap. And it has gone without saying for too long now that all of this is because of **AccioBourbon** nagging me until I gave in. Her Emmett inspired me to make my own. If you aren't reading **Inconceivable**, you should be.


	9. Chapter 9

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 16-Ripple

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

"You're actually going to teach me how to skip rocks?" Bella asked, incredulously.

"Yep. It's an art form, and I can't let you graduate from high school uneducated."

"Okay, Sensei, teach me."

An hour later, Bella was ready to admit defeat. Emmett couldn't let that happen. Graduation was in two weeks; time was running out.

"Maybe all you need is the proper motivation," he suggested.

"Got anything in mind?"

"A kiss per skip?" he offered, hoping the bravado in his voice covered his nerves.

To Emmett's great relief, Bella got much better at skipping rocks.

**A/N:** Margot pre-read, because I wrote this specifically for her non-canon loving heart. I gave Athena a break from pre-reading/beta duties, on account of she's already sleeping, and she's done enough work tonight.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 5-Damp

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

"Kinky."

"Panties."

"Caress," Alice added with a delicate shudder.

"Damp."

The game came to a halt.

"Damp?" Jasper questioned. "You hate the word _damp_?"

"Hey, I didn't judge you for your hatred of 'creamy', now did I? Damp just makes me think about damp clothes, which means damp boxers, which means my ass gets all itchy and gross, and unless Alice is prepared to explain the psychological reasons behind why the word 'caress' makes her shudder, this conversation is over."

Emmett settled back into his chair as his friends laughed.

Let them laugh, he thought. A man's gotta have standards.

**A/N:** Athena beta'd, presumably while singing Bone Thugs -N- Harmony at work. Inspiration came from the "Big List of Words We Hate" where I work. All of the words here appear on that list.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 23-Under

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

The sound of his roommate unlocking the door roused Emmett from sleep.

"Shh...Quiet!" he heard, followed by a very feminine giggle.

"Are you sure your roommate won't mind?" the giggler asked.

"Nah. He sleeps like the dead. He'll never even know you were here."

_No!_ Emmett thought. _No, he doesn't sleep like the dead. Please God, let this not be happening._

It didn't take long for Emmett to realize that his prayers were not going to be answered tonight. Not for the first time, he cursed himself for choosing the bottom bunk. More comfortable, my ass, he thought glumly.

**A/N:** Athena pre-reads, betas, and reminds me that being snowed in sucks, but stepping in poo would be infinitely worse.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 . livejournal . com**

**Prompt:** 4-Collapse

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

He made it through all of the parts he never thought he'd be able to survive. The hand-shaking, the hugging, the endless stream of people.

He even made it through the worst part of the day: watching them lower his father's coffin into the ground, and then, having to walk away. Emmett held it together throughout everything. It wasn't until he finally settled into the limo and looked, really looked, at his mother's face, the proud set of her jaw, the profound sadness in her eyes, that the crushing weight of his grief settled on Emmett's shoulders. Then, he wept.

**A/N**: Athena makes everything better.


	13. Chapter 13

**Prompt:** 6-Defile

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** M

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Emmett knew that there was nothing wrong with being overwhelmed by desire when he looked at his wife. It wasn't the strength of the emotion that bothered him, it was the tone.

As much as he cherished his wife, he wasn't having particularly gentle thoughts about her.

Emmett wanted to grab her by the hair, bend her over the couch, and make her forget her own name. He wanted his confident, composed wife dirty and desperate and pushed to the very brink. Forget "making love"; Emmett wanted the kind of fuck that left her hoarse and bruised the next day.

**A/N:** Athena deserves a medal for holding my hand. You should all thank her for talking me out of my original idea, which was truly terrible.


	14. Chapter 14

**Prompt:** 2-Acquiesce

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett/Bella

**Rating:** M

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Emmett loved Bella. The closer they got to their wedding day, though, the more obvious the cracks in their foundation became. He tried telling himself it was just nerves, but eventually, he had to stop lying to himself. He wasn't marrying Bella because he couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life without her, but because it was the next logical step. He hadn't even proposed; it seemed like he just woke up one morning engaged. Terrified that his silence would lead to a lifetime of love without passion, Emmett gathered his nerve.

"Bella? We need to talk."

"I know."

**A/N:** Athena betas, even when I make her emo. Inspired by a conversation I had with a certain someone about why Em/Bella would never work.


	15. Chapter 15

**Prompt:** 14-Quixotic

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett/Rosalie

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Most people who knew Rosalie Hale thought she was cold. In their defense, Rosalie didn't go out of her way to change their minds. Emmett was different. Most guys spent their energy on trying to thaw her out. Emmett, on the other hand, treated her the way he treated everyone else. It was refreshing. So when Emmett sat down beside her at lunch and asked "So, Rosie, when are you going to give in and admit you could love me?", Rosalie couldn't help but laugh.

"When you make it worth my while, big guy."

Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that Emmett would answer her challenge with such panache.

Step one in Emmett's plan to win Rosalie's heart was the most subtle. Every day for a week, Rosalie got to her first class of the day only to find a sweet surprise waiting for her. On Monday, it was a bag of dark chocolate covered coffee beans. On Tuesday, a gourmet candy apple greeted her. On Wednesday, the biggest bag of Sour Patch Kids Rosalie had ever seen. On Thursday, the scent of cinnamon enveloped her senses before she made it all the way to her regular seat. When she did, she found two fresh churros, still warm. On Friday, Rosalie laughed out loud when opening her backpack revealed an Everlasting Gobstopper.

At lunch that day, Rosalie stared off into space while she tried to wrap her brain around Emmett's surprises. There was never a note, just the gift. Emmett was never anywhere nearby when she got the gifts, and he hadn't made an appearance at the student union for lunch, either. It wasn't that everyone showed up every day, but to have gone a week without seeing him, even in passing, was odd. It didn't make any sense to Rosalie; if he was trying to gain her favor, wouldn't he make sure she knew the gifts were from him? Rosalie was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Alice calling her name.

"Earth to Rosalie. Were you planning on joining in the conversation, or is your presence at the table for decorative purposes only? Because I've got to tell you, if it's the latter, I'm going to need you to sit up straight and stop twirling your hair around your finger like that."

"Alice!" Bella chided playfully. "Leave Rosalie alone. She's obviously mooning over her not-so-secret admirer."

Looking up with a start, Rosalie found it impossible to work up too much indignation at her friends' teasing.

"For your information, I am not mooning. I'm just trying to connect the dots. Speaking of admirers, where are your boys?"

"Jasper had a meeting." Alice answered.

"All Edward said was that he would see me in Bio," Bella added. "I'm hoping that your admirer has inspired him, honestly."

"Oooh. Trouble in Paradise, Bella?" Rose questioned.

"Nah. Sometimes I just miss the newness, you know?" Bella answered as she started packing up her things. "I hate to eat and run, but I've got to meet with the TA for my European History class. I'll see you guys later."

The weekend passed without any major incidents, and Rosalie started to wonder if maybe she had made a mistake in not seeking Emmett out to thank him for the gifts. It wasn't that she didn't like him, or that she didn't appreciate the gifts. If she were honest about it, Emmett's treats were kind of perfect. How did he know what all of my favorites were? she mused. And how did he get them to me without being seen?

For step two, Emmett upped his game. On Monday, Jasper barely contained his mirth as he handed Rosalie the daily student newspaper, folded open to the "classified" section in the back. Wordlessly, he tapped an ad in the middle of the page.

"Emmett McCarty is hereby announcing his intent to win Rosalie Hale's affections. Game on, Hale."

Rosalie stared straight ahead, knowing that if she caught Alice's eye, she wouldn't be able to keep at bay the deep blush that was threatening to take over her face.

From there on out, Emmett launched what could only be described as a full- scale tactical assault. There was no rhyme or reason to when or how his handiwork would show up. On Monday afternoon, the blackboard in her French classroom had "Rosalie Hale has a beautiful soul" written on it in Emmett's unmistakable scrawl. On Tuesday morning, coffee and a fresh chocolate croissant were waiting on her front porch when she left for class. On Wednesday, a teddy bear the size of a fourth grader awaited her when she got to her car. The ribbon around its neck contained a card that said his name was Reginald, and he needed a good home. On Thursday evening, a knock at the door interrupted her weekly Grey's Anatomy date with Alice and Bella. When Rosalie answered the door, there was no one there, but a vase of sunflowers sat on the porch, with a card that said only "You are my Sunshine". Classes were cancelled on Friday, and when she woke up, Rosalie realized she was a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to see Emmett.

Granted, she hadn't actually spoken to Emmett since the day she threw down the gauntlet. Suddenly, she was ashamed that in two weeks, she still hadn't sought him out and at least thanked him. There was no denying the fact that he was putting serious effort into winning her over. Oddly, when she tried to call her friends to find out if anyone knew where Emmett might be today, no one answered their phones. She had plans with Alice and Bella later that evening, so she made a mental note to ask them if they had any ideas of where she could find Emmett. To keep busy until then, Rosalie indulged in her guiltiest of all guilty pleasures: a 90210 marathon on SoapNet.

Looking back, she should have realized that something was afoot when a last-minute change of plans had Bella calling to see if Rosalie would mind meeting her at the paddle boat launch. Distracted by her own thoughts, Rosalie agreed without hesitation.

It had been unseasonably warm recently, but Rosalie still grabbed a light sweater on her way out the door. When she reached the paddle boat launch, she was met not by Bella and Alice, but a sheepish looking Seth Clearwater. The 14 year old had been paired up with Bella by a local group that matched teenagers up with mentors, and he half-worshipped Bella and her friends.

"Hi Rosalie. Wow, you look so pretty tonight. Um, I'm supposed to give you this?"

"Who put you up to this, Seth?"

"I can't tell you. I'm just supposed to give you the box" he held up a small, flat box and shook it for emphasis, "and make sure that you follow the instructions."

"I see. And then what happens? Do clowns jump out of the bushes? Does an orchestra suddenly appear?" Rosalie didn't mean to take her frustration out on Seth, but he was the closest target. Suddenly, she was overcome with the need to fast forward to the end of this game, so she could see how it all turned out.

"Sorry. Top secret info. Just...can you hurry up? I've got stuff to do tonight."

Rosalie grabbed the box from Seth, wondering why it was so light. Opening the box, Rosalie bit back a groan. It was a note.

"Rosalie, Getting there is half the battle. If you can find my hiding spot, I promise the journey will be worth your time. Go to the fountain and find the man with the monkey. He'll start you on your trip."

Rosalie tried to muster up annoyance that Emmett thought she was the kind of girl who went on scavenger hunts, but she was having too much fun to put any real effort into it. Nothing Emmett did was typical, and she couldn't help but smile as she made her way to the wishing fountain near the small downtown area of their college town.

The fountain was marginally crowded, but finding a man with a monkey in a crowd of toddlers and parents wasn't all that challenging a task. Rosalie recognized him, but she couldn't place from where. He gave her a reusable shopping bag with another note, and a knowing smile. The note directed her to the small antiques shop in town, where she got a wrapped package to put into her bag, and another note.

And so it went, Rosalie making her way to various shops and "attractions" in town, picking up packages and notes as the sun moved lower in the sky. Everyone had a smile, and none of the packages were very heavy, but by the time Rosalie made it to the gas station, she was more ready than ever to find out where the evening would end.

Ben Cheney, who she vaguely knew from her British Lit class, was working the counter, and he handed Rosalie a bottle of water. "You're supposed to go back to where you started from" he explained. "No note this time."

Rosalie was glad that the walk back to the paddle boat launch wasn't a long one. Emmett was always a little over the top-a guy that big with a personality to match couldn't help but stand out, after all. This though, this was something else. Usually Rosalie was the one making people work to get to her. Somehow, Emmett had turned the tables on her, and she found herself picking up the pace of her footsteps, eager to finally get to her "prize".

Despite the fact that Emmett had spent two weeks finding impressive ways to make sure he was always on Rosalie's mind, as she stepped into the clearing next to the paddle boat launch, Rosalie realized she hadn't been prepared for his final act.

With the sunset providing the perfect backdrop, Emmett stood next to a blanket spread out on the grass, a picnic basket at his feet. As she walked closer, Rosalie noticed that he was shifting from foot to foot and looking at her nervously, waiting for a reaction.

"Emmett, all of this...I...you..." Rosalie trailed off helplessly. She wasn't used to feeling speechless, but when she thought about the past two weeks, she couldn't seem to find words.

"Hey, you told me to make it worth your while, right? And the thing is, I really like you, Rosalie. I have for a long time. I've had so much fun trying to find new ways to surprise you, but I've got to warn you; after this, I'm pretty much tapped out. Game's over, babe."

Carefully setting her bag down on the corner of the blanket, Rosalie walked up to Emmett and tugged his hands into her own.

"As much as I've enjoyed having something waiting for me every day, and trekking around town tonight wondering where you'd send me next, I've missed you, Emmett. So, from here on out, let's save the grand displays for special occasions."

"So you're saying I can call and cancel the fireworks?" Emmett joked as he led Rosalie to sit down on the blanket.

**A/N:** Athena makes absolutely everything she touches better. One day, I hope I can repay her for all of the hand holding, reassurance, and "oh honey, no" that she gives me. 15 down, 10 to go. Thank you all for reading, and reviewing, and just being awesome in general.


	16. Chapter 16

**Prompt:** 25

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating: **T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Looking around the tiny bathroom at his handiwork, Emmett couldn't help but feel a little proud. Money was tight, so an elaborate celebration wasn't in the cards this year, but Emmett did his best to make the most out of what he had at his disposal. Soft candlelight danced across the walls, his iPod was docked in the corner, playing something soft and dreamy, and steam rolled softly off of the fragrant bubble bath he had just drawn. Hearing the front door open, Emmett walked out into the hallway. "Happy Anniversary, baby", he said, wrapping her up in his arms.

**A/N:** Athena is my Valentine, and my beta. Ashley makes me WC, and pre-reads.


	17. Chapter 17

**Prompt:** 03-Bliss

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** M

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Something nudged at the corners of Emmett's dream, urging him to open his eyes. Fighting it off, he tried to sink back into the warm comfort of sleep, but an entirely different kind of warmth nudged lower, and suddenly, he was most definitely awake. Shaking his head to clear it, Emmett's breath caught in his chest as he looked down.

"Baby, what..."

A wicked grin spread across Bella's face as she shifted her attention upwards.

"Shhh. Just sit back and relax."

Emmett wanted to protest, but then she did that thing with her tongue.

_Relax it is_, he thought happily.

**A/N:** Athena encourages my inner dirty girl. Margot asked for an Emmett/Bella scene for Bliss. Here's to hoping my mom never learns how to use the internet.


	18. Chapter 18

**Prompt:** 22-Trap

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

After a week, Emmett couldn't pass off the rustling sound above their heads as "just the wind, babe" any longer. Steeling his nerves, he headed up the flimsy ladder into the attic. One very bold raccoon stared him down for a full ten seconds before scampering out of sight.

"Aww, shit" he said as he backed down the ladder. "Okay, I'll get a trap, catch the fucker, and our problem is solved. Easy Peasy." He really hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. Secretly, he wanted nothing more than to kill it with fire, even if it meant burning the whole house down in the process.

"But, Em, we can't kill it! All creatures have the right to live! Can't you just go up there and...I don't know, chase it out?"

"Right to live, Rose? He's an intruder! Would you want me to calmly talk a burglar out of breaking in? Should I set up a little bed for him? Look, I'm all about the sanctity of all living creatures, or whatever, but nature belongs outside. The raccoon has got to go. This is not even up for debate. Chase it out. Dear God, woman! Who am I, Steve Irwin?" Emmett was pacing and gesturing wildly as he spoke. _So much for presenting an outer appearance of confidence_, he thought ruefully.

"All this macho posturing is just a cover for the fact that you're terrified, isn't it," Rose answered with a smirk. "Big bad Emmett, scared of an itty bitty raccoon. What did he do, hiss at you?"

"They are carriers of disease, babe! I'm just thinking of your safety, here. I don't want you to get raccoon pox, or rabies. But if you'd rather, I can go up there and built a raccoon door, to make it easier for him to get in and out. All that creeping in under the eaves has got to be hard on his little muscles, you know?" Emmett carefully avoided her actual accusation, that he was afraid. So what if he was afraid? Raccoons were creepy, with their chittering and bushy tails and freakishly prehensile paws.

"I'm not saying that we have to open up a raccoon bed and breakfast, Emmett." Rosalie's voice was taking on a decidedly annoyed tone, and belatedly, Emmett realized that his sarcasm had landed him squarely in the middle of a pregnancy-hormone induced landmine. "All I'm saying is that just because we don't want him living in our house doesn't mean we have to kill him. They do make humane traps, you know. But don't let me get in the way of your macho he-man need to be the master of your domain. By all means, carry on. Maybe you could call Edward and Jasper over and you three can go up there with blow-darts or a bow and arrow set and defend your land."

"Aw, shit," Emmett said for the second time in less than ten minutes, as Rosalie flounced out of the room, bright tears shining in her eyes. "Babe, come on. You know I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want a rodent in the house, especially not with a baby on the way. It's not sanitary.

I just want everything to be..." he trailed off as he heard the door to their bedroom slam shut. "Perfect," he ended on a sigh.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Really, what was so wrong with wanting to eliminate the threat to his family? There was nothing cute or fluffy about raccoons, and this one obviously didn't play by the unspoken rules, mainly that wild animals belong outside, in the wild. This animal was trespassing, and Emmett wasn't about to turn the other cheek. Convinced that Rosalie would calm down after a few minutes, Emmett started searching the internet for facts to back up his stance that having a raccoon in the house was dangerous.

Of course, in doing so, he managed to freak himself out even further. Surely if he showed this stuff to Rose, she'd back him up. Printing out copies of some of the more frightening articles, he headed upstairs.

Ten minutes later, an astonished Emmett watched, mouth hanging open, as his normally rational, loving wife haphazardly threw clothes into an overnight bag.

"If you think for one second that I am staying here and sleeping in the same bed with a murderer, you are out of your mind, Emmett." Rosalie seethed as she moved into the bathroom to grab toiletries. "This is just too much. I can't believe you would print all of this out just to try to scare me into thinking it's okay to kill another living creature, just because doing anything else would be inconvenient."

Any night that Emmett had to spend away from Rose seemed to drag on, but knowing that she was gone because she was angry made things even worse. As he tossed and turned in bed, Emmett started to rethink his position on the death-penalty for raccoons. No sooner had he resolved to go out first thing in the morning for a Havahart trap when he heard it. The _**scritch scritch**_ sound of a raccoon house party. His anger renewed, Emmett abandoned his resolve to relocate the raccoon to a more appropriate habitat. Instead, he reached for his cell phone and called for reinforcements.

"Forks Police Department, what's your emergency?"

"Charlie, it's Emmett. You busy?"

"Nah, all's quiet in town. What's up, son? Everything okay?" Charlie's curiosity was tinged with worry. Rose was due in six weeks, and Emmett rarely called to shoot the breeze.

"Everything's fine. Well, no. Everything is not fine, but there's no emergency. I have a situation at the house." Emmett spilled out his whole sad tale to Charlie. His own dad had passed away when Emmett was in middle school, and Charlie had quietly stepped in as the male role model in Emmett's life.

To his credit, Charlie managed to hold in his laughter while Emmett's rant about "damned furry intruders, not even having the decency to try to hide their misdeeds" reached a fever pitch. Finally, sensing that Emmett was running out of steam, Charlie cut in.

"So, if I've got the gist of it, you want to kill the thing and keep its head on a stake in the yard to ward off other potential intruders, but Rosalie has gone into mothering mode, and she wants you to relocate it so the little fella can live a long and happy life frolicking in a field somewhere?"

"Pretty much. So now my wife thinks I'm a monster, and I'm laying in bed listening to the raccoon who has destroyed my marriage chew through the insulation in my attic."

"Okay, first of all, the raccoon didn't destroy your marriage. Your marriage is fine, son. Your wife got herself all wound up, and she's probably laying in the guest room at Jasper and Alice's house right now, wishing she could swallow her pride and come back home. Stop being a drama queen. Second of all, what Rosalie doesn't know won't hurt her. My shift is over in an hour. I'll stop by and see what can be done."

"Thanks, Charlie. I just keep laying here, getting madder and madder. I can't listen to that damn raccoon all night long. I really appreciate it. Really."

"Mmmhmm. I'll be over by 12:15. Try not to do anything too stupid before I get there."

While he waited for Charlie to arrive, Emmett paced the living room. He grabbed his phone, willing it to ring. Twice, he caught himself thumbing through his contacts, ready to call Rose himself, to apologize and beg her to come home.

True to his word, Charlie knocked on the front door just after midnight. When Emmett opened the door, he couldn't help but laugh. Forks was still a small enough town that the police department doubled as Animal Control, and Charlie had clearly taken the liberty of borrowing some equipment. He had a long pole with a wire loop on the end, a cage, and a sturdy looking canvas bag in one hand, and a six pack of beer in the other.

"Alright, let's do this thing." Charlie said by way of greeting, shouldering past Emmett on his way into the living room. He set his gear against the wall, and cracked a beer open as he sat down on the couch.

"Thanks again, Charlie. Really. This means a lot. Now, do you have a plan? Because I've never actually tried to catch a raccoon before, so I'm at a bit of a loss."

"Well," Charlie began, "I figure, the attic is only so big, right? We'll just stun him with my flashlight, bumrush him, and get him into either the cage or the bag, then drive out to the woods and shoot him. Unless you were envisioning a more traumatic end?"

"No, that sounds good" Emmett answered, at little bit taken aback at the matter of fact way that Charlie said "shoot him". In the back of his mind, Emmett started to get the niggling feeling that shooting an unarmed raccoon in the middle of the woods in the dead of night was kind of a cowardly move. Not that he was willing to admit that now.

Charlie's beer finished, the two men headed back up the flimsy ladder, equipment in tow. Although the attic was roomier than most, both men still had to adopt a sort of crouching squat to move around in the space. _At least the attic is finished,_ Emmett thought gratefully. _It would suck to have to do this while trying to balance on planks._

Luckily, this raccoon was either incredibly brave, or astoundingly stupid. Rather than running and hiding, he was crouched on hind legs in the corner, watching Charlie and Emmett with curiosity. Once the two men had gotten their bearings and sorted out who was using which weapon, things moved fairly quickly.

Charlie's police-issue MagLite blinded the raccoon, and somehow, Charlie managed to herd the critter into the wire cage. Emmett would never admit it, but he had been relieved when he drew flashlight duty. No part of him wanted to get close enough to the raccoon to trap it. _I'm not scared_, he justified to himself._ I'm just cautious._

They got the raccoon out of the attic and deposited the cage on the front porch. Both men felt like they deserved a celebratory beer before dealing with the situation any further. They drank in companionable silence, exchanging only "Good Work" and "Nice Job" while they reveled in their dominance.

Finishing up his beer, Charlie rubbed his thighs as he stood up. "Alright, son. It's almost 2am, and I am not as young as I used to be. Let's get this show on the road so I can go home and get my beauty sleep."

Gunfire in a subdivision would surely draw the attention of the neighbors, so the plan was to take the raccoon out to the woods before shooting it. As they pulled off the road and got out of the car though, Emmett caught a glimpse of the raccoon huddled in the far corner of the cage. Illuminated by the cruiser's dome light, suddenly he didn't look so fearsome. Mostly, he looked scared, and more than a little helpless.

"Aww, shit" Emmett groaned out for the third time that day. From the other side of the car, Charlie shot him a baleful look. "I can't...just...look at him, Charlie? I can't shoot him. He's so scared. We're already at the woods, and we're pretty far from civilization. I say we just let him go."

With a chuckle, Charlie slammed the door to the cruiser. "Son, did you really think I was going to shoot a caged raccoon with a handgun at 2 am? Come on, now. Of course we're going to let the little guy go into the woods."

"Well, alright then." Emmett grabbed the cage and set it down facing the woods.

"Alright, so what are you waiting for? Open the cage, and let's get out of here."

"Yeah, about that. Do you think you could handle the opening of the cage?"

Charlie was kind enough to refrain from teasing Emmett about being afraid of a raccoon. The next afternoon at lunch, Charlie had the girls clutching their stomachs with laughter as he relayed the story to them. Who could blame him for highlighting his own heroism? And so what if he forgot to mention to Emmett that Rosalie, Alice, and Bella would be joining him for lunch. As far as Charlie was concerned, the raccoon was gone, and by the time lunch was over, Rosalie had forgotten that she was ever upset with Emmett. The whole situation was textbook win-win.

Ten years later, "Emmett's Epic Raccoon Adventure" was one of the most frequently requested bedtime stories when the kids stayed with Grandpa Charlie overnight.

**A/N:** Athena holds my hand, and betas for me, even when I write absolute nonsense. She is the sunshine of my life. The two Ashleys goad me in chat to write things.


	19. Chapter 19

**Prompt:** 13

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating: **T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Emmett loved his friends, but four days into a six day camping trip, he was ready for a break. After lunch, he snuck away for a little alone time. Thirty minutes into his walk, he sank down onto a fallen tree. Toeing off his hiking boots and socks, he closed his eyes and reveled in the peaceful nothingness that surrounded him.

Fifteen minutes later, Emmett heard the tell-tale crunch of footsteps on the shaded path. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see Alice quietly assessing him. Wordlessly, she slipped her own shoes off, and sat down next to him.

**A/N**: Ashley and Margot pre-read for me. Athena got the weekend off, but I would snuggle her and surround her in peaceful nothingness if I could.


	20. Chapter 20

**Prompt:** 8-Demure

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Sitting across the table from Rosalie's parents in a swanky French restaurant, Emmett marvelled at the cool elegance Rosalie exuded. Her hair and makeup were flawless, and the modest neckline of her dress showcased the graceful column of her neck.

Struggling to maintain composure, Emmett willed himself to think about anything but what Rosalie was doing under the table. He hoped his face didn't give away just how desperately he wanted to grab his girl and make a break for the door.

He was startled when he felt her breath hot on his neck. "Just wait for dessert, big guy."

**A/N:** Ashley pre-read, and she tells me nice things. Athena is the best cheerleader anyone could ask for.


	21. Chapter 21

**Prompt: **18-Stagger

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

The weight of responsibility hit Emmett like a freight train. To lose Edward was unthinkable, and the grief of that would never fade entirely. But in the same moment, Emmett and Bella became the legal guardians to Edward's three small children. Three children who were shell-shocked, and needed stable, rational adults to guide them through this.

"How do we even begin to do this, Bella? They need a rock; I can't be a rock, I can't even look at them without breaking down. I can't do this."

"_We _can do this, Emmett. You be their rock, and I'll be yours."

**A/N:** Margot read "stagger" in its original form, and had the good sense to make me start over. Ashley pre-read this and had the grace to forgive me. There are plenty of tissues, if anyone needs them.


	22. Chapter 22

**Prompt:** 24- Wander

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

Esme had only turned her back for a second, just long enough to stop 18 month old Edward from tumbling head first out of the swing, but when she turned back around, Emmett was gone. Frantic, she scanned the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found.

Several tense, panicky minutes later, Esme found him. Toddling towards her, a messy handful of flowers extended, Emmett appeared unharmed.

"No cry, mama! I get you flowers!" Emmett exclaimed, confused by her tears.

"Are those for me? They're beautiful! You scared me, though. Don't ever wander away from Mommy again, do you understand?"

**A/N:** Ashley got me into a WC so I could get this done, and Margot pre-read.


	23. Chapter 23

**Prompt:** 9-Elixir

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

"Alright Rose, order up. Guaranteed to cure what ails you." Emmett grinned as he slid the glass across the bar.

Taking a tentative sip, Rosalie grimaced as the drink burned its way down her throat. "What the hell did you pour in here, kerosene?"

"Bourbon, actually. The ultimate cure all. Now, should I leave you to it, or do you want a shoulder?"

A ghost of a smile flitted across Rosalie's face. "Shouldn't you take care of your other patrons?"

"Nah. I like you best, anyway."

By the end of the night, Rosalie knew just how true those words were.

**A/N:** Ashley pre-read this one. I'm pretty sure **AccioBourbon** subscribes whole-heartedly to the idea that if you can't cure it with bourbon, you probably can't cure it.


	24. Chapter 24

**Prompt:** 11-Hollow

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing:** Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

"Got it!" Emmett exclaimed, pulling his arm out of the tree. He brandished a beat-up shoebox proudly. Eagerly, he dropped to the ground and began digging through the box.

"Ah ha! Got it! Check it out, B!" Emmett waved a folded and wrinkled piece of notebook paper at her.

Bella's look of amused curiosity shifted into something much softer as her eyes scanned over his familiar scrawl.

"Fifteen Reasons I Love Bella Swan?" she choked out. "Emmett, you wrote this ten years ago!"

"Well, there's more than fifteen now, but yeah" Emmett admitted as he pulled her into his embrace.

**A/N:** Margot pre-read, and this officially gets her stamp of approval.


	25. Chapter 25

**Prompt:** 17-Simple

**Pen name:** UofMAnne

**Pairing: **Emmett

**Rating:** T

**Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:**

**community . livejournal . com/thetwilight25/16325 . html**

People who didn't really know Emmett thought he was the embodiment of every dumb jock stereotype they'd heard. His size and happy go lucky attitude lulled people into believing there was no complexity to him. To most, Emmett was a guy who loved sports and pretty girls.

That may have been true, but Emmett also loved reading, his dog Max, and his volunteer work at the retirement community. His innate curiosity about the world around him, paired with his genuine love for life made him a favorite among the octogenarians.

Emmett was refreshingly straightforward, but he was anything but simple.

**A/N:** Whew. Done. Thanks to Margot for a pre-read. If anyone had told me a year ago that I'd spend my winter writing fanfic about Emmett McCarty, I'd have thought they were crazy. Thank you to everyone for reading, and if you reviewed and I didn't reply, I'm sorry! Know that every review I got made me ridiculously happy. There was office chair dancing on more than one occassion.

I would be insane to end this without showering Athena, Margot, and Ashley with thanks and love for all of their hand-holding, pre-reading, and general awesomeness. Having Athena on my side makes everything I do better. Margot and Ashley make me laugh, and always give me honest reactions. And none of this would have happened at all if **AccioBourbon** hadn't been so persistent. I love and adore all four of them, and I know how lucky I am to have them.


End file.
